Lobelia plant named ‘Weslosu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Weslosu’, characterized by its compact, spherical, mounding and semi-trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit and short internodes; dense and bushy plant form; leaves covered with dense pubescence; continuously and freely flowering habit; violet blue-colored flowers with large white-colored centers; and relative tolerance to high temperatures.

Botanical designation: Lobelia erinus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘WESLOSU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant, botanically known as Lobelia erinus and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Weslosu’.

The new Lobelia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Lobelia plants with good vigor, uniform plant habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Lobelia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2007 of a proprietary seedling selection of Lobelia erinus identified as code number 07P512, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Lobelia erinus ‘Wesloti’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,768, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lobelia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant with the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Südlohn, Germany in June, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the Lobelia plant by vegetative cuttings in Südlohn, Germany since 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Lobelia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lobelia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Weslosu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Weslosu’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, spherical, mounding and semi-trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit and short internodes; dense and bushy         plant form.     -   4. Leaves covered with dense pubescence.     -   5. Continuously and freely flowering habit.     -   6. Violet blue-colored flowers with large white-colored centers.     -   7. Relatively high temperature tolerant.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia have thicker and stronger lateral         branches than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Stems and leaves of plants of the new Lobelia are pubescent         whereas stems and leaves of plants of the female parent         selection are glabrous.     -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color.     -   4. Plants of the new Lobelia have smaller sepals than plants of         the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ from plants of the male parent, ‘Wesloti’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia are more compact than plants of         ‘Wesloti’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia had thicker lateral branches than         plants of ‘Wesloti’.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Lobelia are ovate in shape         whereas leaves of plants of ‘Wesloti’ are oblanceolate in shape.     -   4. Plants of the new Lobelia and ‘Wesloti’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Wesloti’ have smaller white-colored centers         than plants of the new Lobelia.     -   5. Plants of the new Lobelia have shorter peduncles than plants         of ‘Wesloti’.

Plants of the new Lobelia can be compared to plants of Lobelia erinus ‘Wesloarc’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,871. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Lobelia differed from plants of ‘Wesloarc’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more compact than plants of         ‘Wesloarc’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia were more trailing than and not as         upright as plants of ‘Wesloarc’.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Lobelia were less pubescent than         leaves of plants of ‘Wesloarc’.     -   4. Plants of the new Lobelia and ‘Wesloarc’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Wesloarc’ had smaller white-colored centers         than plants of the new Lobelia.     -   5. Plants of the new Lobelia had shorter peduncles than plants         of ‘Wesloarc’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lobelia plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Lobelia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Weslosu’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Weslosu’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘Weslosu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the spring in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Südlohn, Germany. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 3,000 lux to 50,000 lux. Plants were pinched about two weeks after planting and were 27 weeks old when the photographs were taken and were 30 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia erinus ‘Weslosu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of Lobelia             erinus identified as code number 07P512, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Lobelia erinus ‘Wesloti’, disclosed in U.S.             Plant Pat. No. 20,768. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at 20°             C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 to 18 days at 20°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 to 24             days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 to 26             days at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; color, close to 158B.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense to dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, spherical, mounding             and semi-trailing plant habit.; freely branching habit with             lateral branches developing at potentially every node; short             internodes; dense and bushy plant habit; vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height.—About 8 cm to 10 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 32 cm to 40 cm.         -   Main branch description.—Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Internode             length: About 1.3 cm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture:             Densely pubescent. Color: Close to 146A to 146B.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 12 cm to 22 cm.             Diameter: About 1.7 mm. Internode length: About 1.2 cm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Densely pubescent.             Color: Close to 146A to 146B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length, basal leaves.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Width, basal leaves.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Length, mid-plant leaves.—About 3.6 cm.         -   Width, mid-plant leaves: About 2.3 cm.         -   Length, apical leaves.—About 2 cm.         -   Width, apical leaves.—About 8 mm.         -   Shape, basal and mid-plant leaves.—Ovate.         -   Shape, apical leaves.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex, basal and mid-plant leaves.—Cuspidate.         -   Apex, apical leaves.—Obtuse.         -   Base, all leaves.—Attenuate.         -   Margin, basal and mid-plant leaves.—Slightly crenate.         -   Margin, apical leaves.—Entire.         -   Texture, all leaves, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely             pubescent; slightly rugose.         -   Venation pattern, all leaves.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color, all leaves.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close             to 146A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A;             venation, slightly lighter than 147A. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, slightly lighter             than 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement, habit and shape.—Flowers typically             arranged in racemes; flowers held mostly outwardly; freely             and continuously flowering; older flowers are overgrown by             new flowers and leaves; freely flowering habit with             typically about seven to nine flowers per lateral branch;             flowers tubular with three larger lower petals and two             smaller upper petals.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—April until frost in Germany;             plants begin flowering about 14 weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual             flowers is highly dependent on weather conditions, flowers             typically last about one week on the plant; flowers not             persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 9 cm to 12 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 7 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter, at the base.—About 2.5 mm.         -   Flower buds, developing.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Shape: Oblong. Color: Towards the base, close to 145C;             mid-section, close to 145B; towards the apex, close to 145A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals, fused;             three larger lower petals and two smaller upper petals.             Three lower petals: Length, above throat: About 1 cm. Width:             About 8 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Slightly cuspidate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Two upper petals: Length, above throat: About             6 mm. Width: About 2.5 mm Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex:             Slightly cuspidate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper petals: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 95A to 95B. When opening,             lower surface: Close to 97A. Fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 95A to 95C; venation color similar to surface             color: color becoming closer to 96B with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Between 96C and 97C; venation color             similar to surface color; color becoming closer to 97B with             development. Color, lower petals: When opening, upper             surface: Towards the apex, close to 95A to 95B; mid-section             and base, close to 155D. When opening, lower surface: Close             to 97A; towards the base, close to 155D. Fully opened, upper             surface: Towards the apex, close to 95A to 95C; mid-section             and base, close to 155D; venation color similar to surface             color: color becoming closer to 96B with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Between 96C and 97C; towards the             base, close to 155D; venation color similar to surface             color; color becoming closer to 97B with development.             Throat: Close to 97D; venation, close to 96A. Tube: Close to             92D and 97B.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at             the base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 8 mm. Width:             About 1.7 mm. Shape: Narrowly deltoid. Apex: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,             upper surface: Close to 147A. Color, lower surface: Close to             147B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 cm to 10 cm. Diameter: About 1.5             mm to 2 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: Close to 137B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.2 cm to 1.8 cm. Diameter: About             0.9 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible; wiry. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 137B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About             five. Filament length: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Filament color:             Close to 155C. Anther length: About 2.2 mm. Anther width:             About 2.1 mm. Anther color: Close to N186A to N186B. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 9C. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Stigma             shape: Ovate, two-parted. Stigma color, immature: Close to             83A. Stigma color, mature: Close to 83D. Style length: About             5 mm. Style color: Close to 145B to 145C. Ovary color: Close             to 144A.         -   Fruits/seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Lobelia. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 6° C. to 8° C. about 30° C. to     32° C. 

1. A new and distinct Lobelia plant named ‘Weslosu’ as illustrated and described. 